Software Evaluation Form

CALL Software and Website Evaluation Forms

Evaluating CALL software and websites is covered in the following sections of the ICT4LT website:

 Section 3.8, Module 1.4 – Evaluating CALL software  Section 6, Module 1.5 – Evaluating websites  Section 3.3, Module 2.2 – Evaluating multimedia software

Evaluating software and websites for teaching and learning foreign languages is not a straightforward job. It’s quite different from evaluating printed materials. A good deal of the contents of a software package or website will not be immediately visible and will only appear if the user follows a particular route. In addition, there are factors such as screen design, user-friendliness and nature of the interaction to take into account.

The first of the following forms is designed mainly for evaluating software packages that are intended to be used offline and are started from a hard disk on a stand-alone computer, from a network server, or from a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. The second of the forms is designed for evaluating websites and Web pages that contain interactive materials.

You may begin by asking the following questions:

 Does the software/website offer anything extra that cannot be done in more traditional ways, e.g. with pencil and paper or chalk and talk?  Do you intend to use the software/website for whole-class teaching, e.g. using a computer plus projector and wall screen / interactive whiteboard?  Do you intend to use the software/website in a computer lab, i.e. where each learner works at an individual computer?  How do you intend to integrate the software/website into your teaching?

Bear in mind that what you feel about ICT materials is often a question of personal taste. All too often teachers dismiss the materials as “rubbish” without considering who the intended users are and how they are likely to use it. Try to put yourself in the position of the user. Just because you happen to dislike learning materials that are wrapped up in interactive games, don’t assume that they won’t appeal to a disenchanted 13-year-old male learner of French. If you don’t believe in presenting grammar exercises on a computer, then don’t assume that they won’t appeal to the sixth-form swot. It’s a question of horses for courses.

1 Software Evaluation Form

Title of software package / program: Criterion Is the level of language that the program offers clearly indicated? Yes/No Is it easy to start the program? Yes/No Is the user interface easy to understand? (For example, is the screen layout Yes/No clear and easy to interpret?) Is it easy to navigate through the program? Yes/No Are icons that are used to assist navigation (e.g. back to the homepage, Yes/No exit) clear and intelligible? Is it always clear to the learner which point s/he has reached in the Yes/No program? Does the program include scoring? Yes/No If a scoring system is used, does it make sense? Yes/No If a scoring system is used, does it encourage the learner? Yes/No Is the learner offered useful feedback if s/he gets something wrong? Yes/No If the learner gets something right purely by chance, can s/he seek an Yes/No explanation in order to find out why the answer is right? Can the learner seek help, e.g. on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, Yes/No cultural content? Does the program branch to remedial routines? Yes/No Can the learner easily quit something that is beyond his/her ability? Yes/No Are the grammar and vocab used in the program accurate? Yes/No Does the program offer cultural insights? Yes/No If the program includes pictures, are they (a) relevant, (b) an aid to Yes/No understanding? If the program includes sound recordings, are they of an adequate quality? Yes/No If the program includes sound recordings, are they (a) relevant, (b) an aid Yes/No to understanding? If the program includes sound recordings, is there a good mix of male and Yes/No female voices and regional variations? Can the learner record his/her own voice and play it back? Yes/No Does the program make use of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)? Yes/No If the program makes use of ASR, is it effective? Yes/No If the program includes video sequences, are they of an adequate quality? Yes/No If the program includes video sequences, are they (a) relevant, (b) an aid to Yes/No understanding? Is the program relevant to your national / regional / departmental Yes/No programme of study?

2 Website Evaluation Form

URL of website / Web page: Questions to ask Does the site contain what you expected, e.g. as indicated in its title or URL? Who created the site? What are the credentials of the author(s) of the site? Who is the site aimed at? Is it, for example, aimed at adults, native speakers, older students of a language, young learners? When was the site created? When was the site last updated? Is there a contact name or contact address at the site? Is the site easy to access and quick to download? Is the server on which the site is located up to the job of delivering its content at any time? For example, does access slow down at peak times? How easy is it to navigate the site? Can you easily get back to the site homepage? Does the site contain useful links to other sites? If the site contains links to other sites, do they work and do they contain what you expected? If the site contains links to other sites, are they valuable additions or potential distractions? Does the site contain an appropriate mix of text, images, sound and video? How useful is the site for the provision of materials for offline computer-based or paper-based tasks? How easy is it to turn the site contents into useful offline activities? For example, you may wish to download a whole page or selected parts of it for offline use. How easy is it to differentiate the contents of the site for younger or older learners and for learners of different abilities? Do you need plug-ins to access certain features of the site, e.g. in order to view certain documents or to play audio and video sequences? Is there a copyright or “terms of use” message at the site, indicating clearly any restrictions on the way in which you may use the materials it contains?